It’s not our job to fix people. It’s our job to love them even while they are broken.
Choose Life
When you feel like there is no choice
Choose life
In the midst of a storm and you feel all alone
Choose life
When you think you have reached breaking point
Choose life
When you feel like a failure
Choose life
When that break up hurts so bad, choose you
Choose life
Times can get hard, but
Choose life
When you get overwhelmed by life’s problems
Choose life
When you are plagued by unhealthy thoughts
Choose life
When you feel like you are out of solutions
Choose life
When you think that no one will listen, there is always support
Choose life
Staying silent isn’t being strong, speaking out is
Choose life
Not lucky enough to have owned the Kate Spade handbag but I sure know what depression feels like…
Earlier today the news emerged that designer Kate Spade had taken her own life, leaving a 13 year old daughter and husband.
A child has lost a mother, a husband has lost a wife, irrespective of their marital problems.
Suicide is a choice they say.. But is it?
People that die of suicide will not be thinking straight at their time of death, their mental illnesses cause them to reach that point.
It is evident she was not in a happy place because she would not have ended her life and left a teenage child without a mother.
No matter what she wrote on her suicide note, the reasons are never going to be explanation enough to her family and those closest to her.
There are so many questions left unasked and unanswered. There will be so many stories that will emerge, some sympathetic, some; not so much.
No one knows what she was feeling during her last days for her to end her life the way she did.
One does not simply choose to die as though they are deciding what to make for dinner… “err, actually, I think I will die now”.
There are so many factors that cause someone to sink to a certain low, feel worthless and no matter how much they try, they feel that they are better off dead.
People who are affected by mental health disorders are more likely to commit suicide. Sometimes it is known before a persons death but sometimes it is known after.
Depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are the most common mental health disorders that contribute to suicide.
When a person is so overwhelmed by feelings of sadness and worthlessness they often think that they have no other option and start contemplating suicide.
It is hard to know how someone is feeling but there are usually tell tale signs that can indicate that they are depressed or have suicidal tendencies for instance ;
- Avoiding social situations.
- Feeling hopeless and helpless.
- Exhibiting feelings of strong anger or rage.
- Experiencing dramatic mood changes.
- Abusing drugs or alcohol and self harming.
- Exhibiting changes in personality.
- Constant talk or writing about death or suicide.
It is important to watch out for theses signs and take action to enable someone to get the help that they need and possibly prevent a tragic suicide attempt or death.
The stigma surrounding mental health and suicide makes them taboo subjects to talk about. Most people that have suicidal thoughts do not want to burden anyone with their problems so they do not reach out for fear of being judged and accused of attention seeking.
Staying silent isn’t being strong, speaking out is. Let’s stop the stigma!
Rest in peace Kate Spade
Photos by Pexels, Getty Images
Sources :healthline.org, www.suicide.org, www.thesamaritans.org
Don’t wait until I am gone to bring me flowers
In our everyday lives we take so many things for granted.
We storm off to work after an argument, ignore text messages from loved ones, hold grudges and don’t make up after disagreements because tomorrow is another day.
However, our tomorrows have no guarantees and when we lose a loved one without making peace with them it causes much more grief than saying I am sorry, I miss you or I love you to their face.
We then spend a long time after the loss of a loved one asking “what if ‘ and ‘if only I had taken that call, if only I had popped in to see him or if only I had been more patient with her’, but it will be too late to make amends.
Take time to celebrate your children, your parents, friends and spouses now and deal with the issues at hand while you can still have a dialogue and things can be worked out.
There are many instances where in death a lot of issues in a family have not been resolved then it is difficult to have an opinion or express yourself for fear of speaking ill of the dead especially in certain cultures.
It is important to live wisely, love kindly and care deeply for the people around us. Send the messages, make amends and show appreciation to people when they are still alive as they will not see the effort you will make when they are gone.